Door closer



Nov. 9, 1937. w. s. RICHMOND DOOR CLOSER Filed May 21, 1957 Mil PatentedNov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES- PATENT omens:

2,098,837 noon CLOSER Application May 21,1937, SerialNo. 143,968

7 Claims.

This invention relates toimprovements in door closers ofthe type whereinoil or another viscous liquid is employed as the rebound retardingagent, and consists essentially, of a relief passage in the diaphragmand an automatically opened valve or closure therefor.

The crankshaft of most door closers is journalled in a bushing which isusually formed in two parts with packing between them and which isespecially fitted within a hub-like bearing formed as one with thediaphragm. The packing is intended to exclude the liquid from the springcase where otherwise it would be forced or pumped by the action of thepiston, particularly on the rebound retarding or checking stroke;However, the' packing soon loses its temper and then fails as anabsolute resistant, and a certain amount of liquid gets past the packingalong the crankshaft and 'into the spring case, where it remains owingto its inability to return the way it came. The liquid having thusaccumulated in thespring case is inert and soon becomes gummy or stickyand produces a consequent ill-effect upon the efficier'icy of themechanism residing in that case. Moreover, the normal quantity of fluidwith which the crank case and cylinder are charged is continuallylessened in this process resulting in the necessity of a frequency ofrecharging and overhauling.

While the decomposition of the liquid pumped into the spring case aspreviously set forth adversely affects the efficiency of the devicethere is no harm done if the fluid is pumped into the spring case solong as it returns to its source.

Obviously the multiplication of the pumped liquid could be obviated bythe simple remedy residing in a perforate diaphragm wherethrough thefluid pumped into the spring case could seep back into the cylinderwhile the device is at rest, but since the apparatus may be caused torepeatedly assume any number of different positions and perhapspermitted to remain in an inverted position over undetermined periodsduring its peregrination, there might conceivably be more oil in thespring case than in the cylinder. Consequently, holes in the diaphragm,unless they were closed during the period between the production andmounting of the device, would defeat their purpose.

Therefore, the principal object of the present invention is to providemeans for temporarily closing a communication opening in the diaphragmof a door closer of the kind described 55 until it is mounted, and forautomatically and permanently removing the closure from the opening onthe initial operation of the device. v

A second important object is to lessen the cost of these door closers bymeans of the elimination of the usual crankshaft bushings and packing,or 5 at least to offset the cost of the said invention by means of suchelimination.

With the above and other objects in view .as will be hereinafterapparent, the inventionconsists in general of, certain novel detailsofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawing like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views, and: p

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a door closer con-. structed inaccordance with this invention, and shown partially in vertical, mediancross-section Figure 2 is a top cross-sectional view taken on the lines2-2 of Figure 1, with the spring removed and showing the closure orvalve in closed position.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the valve in open position;

Figure 4 is a side elevation .of the spring driver.

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the spring driver.

Figure 6 is a side view of the closure or valve.

On the drawing a door closer is shown with the important conventionalparts identified as follows: The cylinder is indicated by the numeral10, the piston by H, I2 indicates the fluid duct, I3 the crank, I4 thecrank shaft, IS the crank case, Hi the spring case, I! the spring, I8the spring pusher, l9 the ratchet, and the main arm. The generalconstruction and operation of the foregoing parts are well-known andhence need not be described.

The diaphragm 2| of the present invention has a fiat upper surface andis provided with a plurality of radial tongues 22 which fit intoconforming internal perpendicular channels in the spring case l6, and isremovably mounted on an annular supporting gallery 23. These channelspermit the tongued diaphragm to be inserted from the top of the springcase and assure the registry of the screw holes in the diaphragm and inthe said gallery for convenience in the application of the retainingscrews 24. The crank shaft I4 is journalled in a bearing 25 slung fromthis diaphragm.

In its present embodiment the invention consists of a pair of holes 26in the diaphragm and a pair of valves or closures 21 pivoted (28) to thediaphragm close to its periphery.

During the assembly of the door closer and before the cylinder and crankcase are charged with the retarding agent or fluid the holes 26 areclosed by the valves 27 which engage edgewise a cam 29 formed on thelower end of the a spring pusher it.

These valves are preferably in the form of slightly arcuate springleaves having nodules 3:!- adapted to snap into the holes 26 in order toassure an absolute seal.

In practice the conventional ratchet engaging dog or pawl (not shown) isnot. engaged with theff ratchet until the device has been mounted on adoor and is ready for service adjustment, Whereafter the device isobviouslyimmune to non-upright position. Consequently the revolubleposi-' tion of the spring pusher andcam remainsune.

altered from the'time of assembly until the pawl is engaged and the doorwith the device-attached"" is opened for the first time on test.

When the spring pusher is revolubly moved for the first time after thevalves are set in closed position during assembly the cam 29 moves orspreads the valves to open position, as can be clearly seen in Figure 3,where they remain so long as the door closer continues in service, andthus the fluid theretofcre confined in the cylinder and crank case ishenceforth free to circulate between the latter and the spring case.

Since it requires little short of the act of opening the door uponwhich'the closer is mounted for suificient purchase to revolubly movethe spring pusher against the resistance of the spring there isobviously little danger of the valves accidently opening during theperiod in which they are intended to remain tightly closed as aforesaid.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kinddescribed and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor'changes may be made in the form andconstruction of the invention Without departing from the material spiritthereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to theexact form herein shown and described, but it is. desired to include allsuch as properly come within the scope claimed.

I claim:

1. In a door closer of the class described including a diaphragmprovided with an opening, a valve adapted to temporarily close theopening, and means for operating the valve to permanently clear theopening automatically upon the initial operation of the door closer.

2. In a door closer of the class described including a diaphragmprovided with an opening, a valve adapted to temporarily close theopening, and means for operating the valve to permanently clear theopening automatically upon the initial operation of the door closer,said means consisting of a cam controlled by a revoluble member of thedoor closer. 7 '3. In a door closer of the class described including adiaphragm provided with an opening, a valve adapted to temporarily closethe opening, and means for operating the valve to permanently clear theopening automatically upon the initial operation of thedoo'r closer,said valve being set to temporarily close the opening during theassemblyof the door closer.

4. In a door closer of the class described in; cluding a spring pusherand a diaphragm provided with an opening, a valve adapted to temporarilyclose the opening, a cam associated with the spring pusher and adaptedto operate the valve to permanently clear the opening automatically uponpusher. 5. In a door closer of the class described including a springpusher and a diaphragm provided with an opening, a closure in temporaryregistry with the opening, a cam associated with the spring pusher andadapted to permanently shift the closure from said registryautomatically upon the initial operation of the spring pusher. 6. Thedevice according to claim land in which the valve consists of a slightlyarcuate spring leaf pivoted to the diaphragm and provided with a nodulefor engaging the opening.

'7. The device according to claim 5 and in which the cam is formed asone with the spring pusher.

WILLIAM STANLEY RICHMOND.

the initial operation of the spring

